


Dance of Lights

by SomniumAvis



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Holidays, No Plot/Plotless, POV Alternating, Post-Canon, Sappy, Time Skips, don't read if you don't like sappy things, like really really sappy, spoilers for httyd 3, this whole thing is so ridiculously sappy and cheesy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:20:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28295202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomniumAvis/pseuds/SomniumAvis
Summary: When Hiccup decided to arrange a small event one winter to set out floating lanterns to sea in order to remember the dragons that had left them, he didn't expect it to become a new holiday tradition.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson, Light Fury/Toothless (How to Train Your Dragon)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 50





	Dance of Lights

**Author's Note:**

> So a few notes here about the timeline of the events:
> 
> 1\. There's not much about Snoggletog other than that it's the viking version of Christmas. There are no given dates on the events, so let's just assume that it takes place around the same time Christmas does.  
> 2\. Hiccup's and Astrid's kids don't have given birthdays. Or at least, I couldn't find any on the wiki. So I'm just basing their years of birth off their ages in the wiki.  
> 3\. I haven't found anything about how HTTYD vikings celebrate New Year's, so I'm also assuming that they celebrate near the holidays in the winter, around the same time that we celebrate New Year's.
> 
> And with that out of the way, enjoy this weird fic.

In the first winter since the dragons left, the first six riders gathered at the edge of the island. 

The annual holiday of Snoggletog had arrived, and many of the residents of New Berk were out celebrating the night with their families. Usually, this was a holiday celebrated with the dragons, but this was the first Snoggletog in nearly six years without dragons around.

It was sad.

The year had passed in a blur of work as the vikings worked to turn this island into their permanent home, as they had no way of getting back to Berk without dragons. Long days were spent scouting out the island and working to build houses and buildings. Hiccup almost wished he had the idea of having the dragons stay around longer, so they could help with the work. There were some mornings, in the following days the dragons left for the Hidden World, where he woke up and planned to hop onto Toothless’s back to fly over and map out the island, only to remember the outcome of that fateful fight.

But the dragons had left immediately following the battle with Grimmel and his dragon hunters. And maybe that was for the best. He didn’t know if he’d be able to let Toothless go if they had stayed for even a few days more. Maybe it was best that he tore open that wound early, instead of waiting and dreading the inevitable pain.

But either way, the dragons had left, and in the following days, they all had to push through the pain of leaving their friends and work to build themselves a new home on the island they had ended up getting stranded on. Every day was a long, grueling work period, and Hiccup, as chief, was expected to lead them.

Work was put on hold for the holidays, but even so, they had gotten a lot done.

There was no sign of the dragons, even after all those months. They still didn’t know how they were doing, or if they were even still there, or still alive. But, there surely had to be ways to let the dragons know that they were still doing okay, right? And that was why they were all gathered here, at the edge of the island, on a part of a high cliff tucked a little away from the general area of the village. The part of the island where they watched the dragons depart.

It had been Astrid’s idea, to begin with. Hiccup had quickly caught onto the idea she suggested, and the two of them had spent a couple days gathering supplies and planning out the meet on the edge of the island. Meeting between the six of them were still common enough, as his team had become his advisors after they settled down in New Berk, but during those times, they had roles to play. They didn’t really have time to be themselves, to be the dragon riders they had all come to know each other as during their time together. And that was why there was something so different about this meeting, tonight.

“Welcome, welcome. I am so pleased that you’re all able to join us tonight,” was the first thing Hiccup said once everyone had settled, waving the torch he was holding as he gestured. It was already quite dark as night had already fallen, and the torch he was holding was the only source of illumination so far away from the lights hanging from porches and pillars and glowing in windows, the warm orange glow reflecting off the white snow piled thickly on the ground. The small pool of light from the torch lit up the area starkly against their dark surroundings.

“Yeah, yeah, chief,” Snotlout replied. “It’s not like any of us would pass up a chance for whatever sap you have to spout, right?”

“Nope. Absolutely not,” murmured Fishlegs.

“So, what did you have planned?”

“It was my idea at first,” Astrid said, holding up an unlit lantern. “Although Hiccup was the one who designed it.”

“Designed what?”

Returning Astrid’s smile, Hiccup held up his own unlit lantern and said, “Floating lanterns.”

“Floating...lanterns?” The twins looked slightly disappointed at that.

“Well, what did you expect? Firing coloured explosives into the sky?” Astrid asked.

“Honestly, that would’ve been much better than floating lanterns. We’ll call them fireworks! Imagine the spectacle!”

“Well, I’ve already designed and built the lanterns for release,” Hiccup said, cutting the twins off before they could continue. “Trust me, it’s not that easy. It had to be a design that was light, decorative, and made out of material that would naturally degrade. Either way, we have our lanterns now, so do you want to light them yet?”

“Yeah. Sure. Why not?”

“Uh, just to ask. Will this be like...an annual thing? Or can we just release lanterns whenever we feel like it?” Fishlegs asked.

“Well, I planned on it to be an annual thing. Make it part of the Snoggletog tradition, because we don’t have dragons around to celebrate with us. This is also the time of year when nights are longest, so some light would be nice,” Hiccup answered. Gesturing to the six lanterns gathered in a row on a bench, he asked, “So, do you want to start?”

With nothing else left to say, lanterns were handed out. Hiccup passed his torch around to let each of them light their own lanterns. When they were lit, they lit up with bright colours, purple and blue and red and yellow and green, radiating a warmth that was welcomed in the cold night.

The coloured lights did look quite nice, which was something he was proud of. He had worked hard to procure coloured fabric to wrap around the lanterns, and making sure they were dyed with non-toxic dye.

There was no countdown. Instead, Hiccup only signalled with one hand, a signal to advance that they used in dragon riding, and they all knew to release their lanterns at once. Six specks of colour rose into the air, drifting away from the island. Five different colours, signalling five different dragons.

Out over the water and by the cliffside, there was no light. The only illumination here were the lanterns, giving off a coloured glow that became fainter and fainter as they drifted further away from the island.

_You seeing this, bud?_

He felt untouchable by the cold night, wrapped up in honeyed grief as he watched the specks of light drift further and further away. No one spoke, no doubt thinking something similar to him.

“You think it could actually reach the Hidden World from here?” Snotlout finally asked quietly.

“Maybe,” he replied. “I could always improve the design, to make them fly further.”

Quiet fell around them again, broken up only by the very distant laughter from the village, and dark surrounded them again as the light of the lanterns faded. The difference in mood and lighting made him feel as if the six of them were separated from the rest of the village by the remains of a barrier made of the bonds they were forced to break when they let the dragons go.

“And that’s that,” Astrid said to break the silence, which Hiccup was grateful for because he felt like there was something stuck in his throat. “Happy Snoggletog, everyone.”

Several “Happy Snoggletog”s were said back, all of them very subdued.

When it was suggested that they return to the festivities in the village, they all complied, turning away from the dark cliffside, to the warmly lit buildings. However, before following the others back to the village, Hiccup turned back to the dark seas and dark skies one last time. The lanterns weren’t visible by now, swallowed up by the blue-black of the night over the seas. There were no answering lights, no figures mostly hidden by darkness flitting across the sky, nothing to note that their call, coded in floating lanterns, had been answered.

Well. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t doing this to be answered.

“Happy Snoggletog, bud, wherever you are. Hope you’re having fun and hope you’re okay,” he whispered, sorrow coating his throat. “First holidays without you in a long time. Miss you.”

“Hiccup? You coming?”

“Yeah, I’m coming.” He cast the cliff and open water one last glance, still dark and unmoved, before turning away to the warm light of the village.

* * *

_At this time of year, snow settles on the ground, bringing a chill that slightly dulls the fire lingering inside us. But in Home, we are somewhat removed from that bothersome chill, warmed by light and crystals and our fire._

_This year, I linger in our home. It has been some time since I’ve last seen you, my friend. I know at this time of year, you celebrate. I don’t know why exactly, but you celebrate with fires and lights and songs and cheer at this time of year._

_I wonder if you’re still doing that right now. I’m sure you are._

_Right now, I stay among the crystal pillars and winding plants of Home. My Queen stays too, the coloured light of Home flashing off her white scales. Some others leave Home to fly outside, but we stay inside this year._

_I would like to join you, but I am not one of you. We are friends, but we are not the same. We separated for our safety, and I would not risk that for something so small as one celebration. But we’ve left our marks on each other, and I still miss you._

* * *

“Uh, Hiccup?”

“Yes, what is it, Snotlout?” Hiccup asked without moving from where he was bending over his worktable.

“You...uh...remember last year’s Snoggletog? When he set out those floating lanterns? Are we doing that again this year? The holidays are less than a week away,” he said as he closed the workshop door behind him, brushing snow off his coat.

“Well, yeah. I said back then that it would be annual, so why’d you ask?” This time, Hiccup did straighten over the scattered papers covering every inch of the table, each detailing different sketches for lantern styles and designs.

“Well, some people heard about what we did with the lanterns last year…”

“You mean you told them.”

“Okay, okay, I did. But you can’t blame them, can you? They all had dragons of their own that they had to let go after Grimmel proved it was too dangerous for the dragons to stay with us. I’m sure they all want to remember their lost friends too.” He sighed. “This is what it’s all about, right? Remembering lost friends? Remembering what we gave up in order to keep them safe?”

Remembering lost friends. Remembering what they gave up in order to protect them. And dragons were such an integral part of Berk even before Grimmel, that it was practically impossible for anyone to go around without interacting with dragons.

Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea. And besides, if any outsiders came to Berk during Snoggletog, releasing floating lanterns could be disguised as just another holiday tradition rather than a yearly remembrance to the dragons.

But, that meant they needed more lanterns. Hiccup turned to the part of his desk that wasn’t covered in paper, which was covered in lantern prototypes. “We’ll need more lanterns.”

The week leading up to that year’s Snoggletog was marked by a bustle of frantic work and organization. As it turned out, quite a few people were interested in the idea of floating lanterns. As Hiccup was the person who worked on designing and making the lanterns, he ended up responsible for finding a way to provide enough lanterns for everyone wanting to take part. While he knew that it was only several other families that wanted to join that year, it felt like all of Berk wanted to take part in this new activity. When he mentioned that thought to Astrid while they were working side-by-side in his workshop, she only smirked and said, “Wait a year. Soon enough, literally the entire island will be wanting to take part in this every year.”

“Oh, what’s next? New Year’s launching explosives into the sky?” He groaned. “The fact that Snoggletog takes place at the end of the year and there’s less than a week between the end of Snoggletog and New Year’s celebration makes it worse. That just means no time for me to rest.”

She laughed. “Ruff and Tuff will be happy about explosives. You know how excited they were for that last year.”

“But I don’t feel like making explosives. Gunpowder is hard to make. And besides, how do you colour explosions? New Year’s is hectic enough as it is without explosives.”

But, despite all their complaining and last-minute work, everyone who wanted to take part ended up with one lantern to release into the sky. The first six riders, the group that Hiccup would never forget after everything they did together over the years, was gathered in a tight row closest to the edge of the cliff, holding their lanterns.

This year was loud in comparison to last year. The cliffside was illuminated with light from dozens of lanterns once they were lit, lighting up the snow in a multitude of colours. Valka and Gobber also joined them this year after they asked him about it, which made him feel slightly guilty about only including only the original six riders of Berk in this little event last year.

Everyone counted down, and when they hit zero, everyone released their lanterns at the same time, and _oohs_ and _aahs_ were uttered as they watched the swarm of clashing colours, glowing a warm light in the darkness, drift into the sky and away from the island. Hiccup kept his eyes trained on the purple lantern that he released, distinctive of the Night Fury.

Eventually, the people gathered there began to dissipate as “Happy Snoggletog”s were exchanged quietly, until only the six original dragon riders were left standing there.

“How were the new designs?” Hiccup asked, just to say something through the dull ache in his chest. “I didn’t have much time to test them, but they were made to be lighter and fly further.”

“Don’t worry about it too much, Hiccup,” Fishlegs said. “They look fine. I can help with the designs for next year.”

“Thank you, Fishlegs. It’ll be a relief to have someone who will actually help me with Snoggletog preparations,” he replied, staring pointedly at Astrid, who laughed and turned away.

“If the entire island ends up getting involved, which I heard is possible, we can even work out a supply chain. Find a way to make lots of good-quality lanterns efficiently and quickly.”

“You’re suggesting we train people in the skilled trade of making lanterns?” he asked as they began to move as a group back to the village.

“Yeah. As like, a secondary job. That’ll be interesting.”

“There they go,” Astrid said, not unkindly.

* * *

_They say that one night, some odd lights were seen during the dark of night, in the middle of winter. We passed it off as just another phenomenon. But I have a hopeful suspicion that it could signify something else. Many of the natives jest at such a thought, but the ones that came with me to Home, the ones that were once friends with humans that did not want to kill for their own greed, understand my thoughts._

_And now, it has been year since those lights were spotted. But tonight, here I am, at the entrance of Home. My wings are folded as I watch the sky. My Queen has been confused as to why I always peer back in this direction when I’m by the entrance of our Home, but I think she's starting to understand a little more. She hasn't had much contact with humans, and she does not understand how I miss you, I miss you, I miss you because you were once my friend but you told us to part ways because it would be safer for both of us._

_Where are you now?_

_Are you still at Used-to-be-Home? Did you return home to the island where we first met, or did you stay on the place we landed on when we fled the hunters? I suspect the latter, because humans are flightless, and there is no easy way back there without dragons._

_At the moment, however, here I gaze out over the dark water in the direction opposite of where we flew to get to Home. Sometimes, I think I see light, but I don’t know if it is simply an emotion-induced hallucination or if I truly am seeing something._

_My Queen has been silent all this while. Does she understand why I think and feel this way? Maybe, maybe not. But she knows that I miss you._

_You, who shot me out of the sky and took away my flight, before giving it back to me with a hand-crafted human contraption and your apologies, an offer of friendship. We then learned how to fly together, and then you gave me flight that didn’t require you to fly with me. The last reminder I have of you sits heavy on my tail, a weight that has no feeling in the limb but carries all the friendship and love that was shared between us._

_The night is cold and quiet. I’m waiting out here for a glimpse of a rumor, but I see nothing yet._

_Wait! I see something. It’s very faint, barely a dim reflection on the choppy water. When I peer into the sky to search for the source of the light, I think I detect little dots of light drifting across the sky. My Queen seems a little panicked, but I'm sure that it can't be anything malicious._

_With a signal to My Queen, I spread my wings and fly upwards into the sky. She calls after me, worried, but I’m almost sure that it’s completely safe. Once I’m level with the floating lights (what are they called again?), I even out my flight so I glide slowly among them. (Flying without the weight of a passenger on my back still feels strange at times, but I know I’ll adjust. I have to.)_

_I drift among these lights, flapping as gently as I can as not to disturb the peaceful flight of these lights (although the drafts rolling off my wings still causes them to shift here and there). They are strange, smallish things (I think I’ve almost got what they’re called) that emit both heat and light. Many of them are warmly coloured, yellows and oranges and pinks and reds. But there are a few stray blues, greens, and then...wait._

_There is only one violet light. When I drift closer to it, I see a picture on it, on the skin covering the light source. I recognize it._

_It is of me, or perhaps My Queen. I can’t tell what colour it is, because the violet light permeates it. It’s a simple silhouette. I can’t tell if it’s black, like me, or white, like My Queen. Perhaps it’s simply one of my kind._

_But there is only one person who could have crafted such a thing with such precision and delicacy. It is you._

_I now hear wingbeats. I turn to see my companions, the ones that followed me and you on journeys further than anyone has ever gone before. They follow me as we soar around these lights._

_The powerful drafts from our combined flapping eventually causes these lights to scatter, carried away by winds. But we’re silent, drifting through a field of lights and memories._

_When we settle back on a rock that is at the entrance of Home, we turn to look in the direction of Used-to-be-Home. I know now, that you’re out there._

_You must be, my friend. Please._

_My Queen sits down next to me, and I can sense her meaning. Even though you’ve been setting out these lights (lanterns, they’re called lanterns) it is still too dangerous for us to respond. We don’t even know who truly has been setting these out._

_But it must be you. I’m sure of it. Even if there's no concrete proof, I think it's you._

_So, for tonight, we simply sit by the entrance to Home, and gaze out over the distance that stretches between us._

* * *

The pencil moved steadily over paper. More sketches, more lantern designs drawn on paper. His workshop was fuller than he could ever remember it being, with many people all working on building lanterns while Hiccup himself sketched out more possible designs and decorations, but it was that time of year again. It was time for the winter celebrations of Snoggletog.

Somehow, the idea of releasing floating lanterns into the sky to commemorate the dragons’ leave spread quickly, and nearly all of the village had heard of it by now. Everyone seemed to agree that it was a good idea, at least for the time being. Hiccup half thought that it might go away after enough time, but something told him that it was something that would stay for quite a while.

For now, however, he was working on helping with lantern design and construction. Several experiments he had been working on with Fishlegs over the past year when he wasn’t busy with the village or chief business had gone quite well. And speaking of Fishlegs, his idea of an assembly line had gone quite well. Of course, it could use improvements in terms of efficiency, but it was doing well at the moment.

The weeks leading up to this Snoggletog were just as busy as the year before, but somehow more assured. Maybe it was the fact that he now knew that there were more people who approved of this idea that had been the result of a few throwaway lines in a brief conversation he had with Astrid a few years ago, and it was reassuring to know that they didn’t think this was just some random waste of time.

“Why would they think it’s a waste of time?” Astrid asked from near the fireplace when Hiccup brought up the topic one evening.

“Well, it’s time-consuming to create all this. And then there’s the whole job of lighting them and then setting them free, and lots of planning,” Hiccup answered.

“But you like planning and creating stuff. And I thought lighting the lanterns and releasing them wasn’t bad, either. You certainly weren’t complaining last year, or the year before.”

“That was before the entire tribe decided to get involved and turn this into tradition,” he said. “I know they mean well, but sometimes…”

“Sometimes…?”

“Sometimes, I still feel like that lonely kid who happened to befriend a dragon, and had the responsibility of Berk forced on him, trying to make good decisions in the face of trouble,” he finally said. “I know that sending the dragons away was for our collective good, but sometimes, I still find myself questioning that decision. I miss him so much. And every time we release those lanterns into the night sky, hoping that they see them, I’m reminded all over again that they’re gone, and that I was the one who made the choice to have them leave.” Hiccup released a short breath, finally feeling like a weight he had been choking on all winter had been freed, even though a deep sadness was still tight around his throat.

Astrid got up, and moved beside him. “Hey. I know. I miss Stormfly, too. I know how it feels,” she said, resting a hand on his shoulder. “But you made a decision, in the face of a bad situation, meaning well for all of Berk. It’s time to fully commit to it now, because there’s no turning back.”

“I know. It’s just...it hurts. Missing Toothless and the other dragons, and knowing that there’s a good chance I’ll never see him again. Releasing all these lanterns just serves to remind me of that, over and over again.”

“But that’s why we do this, right?” She gives a smile, eyes glassy. “We do this to remember them, no matter how much it hurts. Because there’s nothing that can hurt more than forgetting our friends.”

He swallowed around the lump in his throat.

“Hang on to this, no matter how much it hurts,” Astrid said, her voice now barely a whisper. “Hang on to the memories of them. They taught us, and we taught them. And now, we’ve broken away from them, because we want the best for them and they want the best for us. Yes, it hurts. But every winter, we’ll release these lanterns and remember just how much we mean to each other. Hang on to this pain and these memories, because it reminds us how we love each other.”

_Hang on to this pain and these memories, because it reminds us how we love each other._

Those words echoed over and over his head, and they rang especially clear the night practically everyone on Berk was outside, each holding onto a lantern.

This year, there were so many people participating in releasing floating lanterns that it was impossible to cram everyone together by the cliffside. Hiccup, as well as the rest of the six riders, and a few others were the only ones gathered by the very edge of the cliffside. Everyone else was spread out behind them, passing torches around to light their lanterns until the snowy hillside was covered in a sea of warm light.

There were too many people for a countdown this year. Instead, Hiccup signalled for all them to release their lanterns by setting his purple lantern out first.

Within seconds of that violet light drifting into the air, many others began to follow it up like a giant swarm of fireflies, only much bigger. Together, the many lanterns almost made the dark winter night sky look warm and ethereal, suspended in time with fantastical glowing lights making up the main source of illumination. Unlike the last couple years, there was more light than darkness, so that almost every shadow was driven away underneath the light.

“They might almost see this one,” Hiccup murmured.

“Yeah. They might,” Astrid murmured.

* * *

_There they are again!_

_This time, me and several of the other dragons who share a similar state of mind as me (namely those that joined me and you) are perched on a very specific rock on the ocean, watching the night sky in the hopes of seeing something similar to last year. And we are not disappointed._

_Are there more of those lights than last winter? It sure seems like it._

_Last year, there were many of those lights. But now, there are so many that I can barely count them. They dance on the winter winds, illuminating the sky and dark waters._

_My Queen suspects that the ones releasing these lanterns are malicious. But I want to believe otherwise. And besides, the one violet lantern I see is so reminiscent of my friend that I don’t want to think of anyone else creating such a meticulously detailed craft and sending it out over the ocean._

_Tonight, I spend most of my time gliding slowly among the lights floating in the sky. They swirl and drift around me, carried on drafts of air rolling off my wingbeats and the relatively calm winter winds. We dance around each other, in a cold night sky._

_I want to cry out. I want to tell you that we’re still here._

_But I don’t know how. You're the most likely to have sent these lights, but I don’t know how to respond to such a beautiful sight. I don't even know for sure that it's you._

_Perhaps, with lights of our own. But, is it safe?_

_Maybe...someday…_

* * *

They’ve got this down to practically a science. Plan, write out orders, craft the lanterns, then distribute them.

It’s become so much more simple. And it’s become more complicated.

Astrid was right when she joked about it becoming an island-wide tradition. By now, four years into this little ritual, the entire tribe wanted something to do with it. There was even talk of turning it into another Snoggletog tradition.

Hiccup both loved and dreaded this time of year. It meant a time for festivities and cheer, but it also meant lots of work and planning and the inevitable feeling of deep sadness every time he watched the lanterns drift out to sea. The years have dulled the pain a little, but it has never faded entirely.

The couple weeks leading up to Snoggletog was the time when the planning would begin. After the basic planning, which never took more than a couple days, the actual crafting and distribution of lanterns would begin. Fishlegs’s assembly line technique was getting more polished and efficient, and there were always volunteers willing to help with the work.

Truth be told, Hiccup never expected one little ritual to become an island-wide tradition, but he supposed there was no stopping it now. It had a strange allure to it, if he was being honest. There was something ethereal about a quiet, bittersweet moment in the deep winter night, watching the light of so many floating lanterns drift gently out into the darkness.

No one talked much during the actual event. The drifting of floating lights was always quiet and slow, like falling snowflakes settling on the ground. It created a beautiful, yet somber moment.

If this event was a dance, it would be a slow, stately waltz to a soft tune, he thought. Perhaps the music would be soft, almost ambient. Maybe it would be happy, maybe it would be filled with a low undertone of longing. The latter seemed like a better choice for the moment. Wouldn’t that be nice? To imagine a virtual sea of floating lights as an ethereal nighttime dance, illuminated only by soft firelight?

He could picture it very clearly here, lights swirling and floating on cool winter winds. Maybe this dance would even reach the Hidden World.

* * *

_I would even dare say that this has become a small tradition of sorts for us. Every winter night, the ones that miss our human companions gather together out on the open sea, a little ways away from Home, to watch the floating lights. My Queen always comes with us, even though she has had little good experiences with humans._

_Soft, floating lights dancing through the night, swept up by the fresh drafts of air stirred up by our wingbeats as we fly through the field of lights, the slow turn of the lights caught up in a slightly quicker and more turbulent dance with us among them._

_If this is an invitation from you to dance with me, I want to accept. But I don’t know how._

* * *

Their fifth year of the new Snoggletog tradition was Zephyr’s first. Hiccup and Astrid took turns holding her as they wandered through town.

It’s strange, how life has a way of carrying on. Hiccup still missed Toothless, but there was now another reason to celebrate. His and Astrid’s daughter, Zephyr, would learn about Berk and about the dragons they swore to protect. So much time had passed, so many things had changed, but there were a few things that still stayed the same.

Including the little ritual that they performed every year to commemorate what had changed.

Well, it could barely be considered a “little ritual” anymore. The entire island was now involved, and people were looking forward to the annual event every winter.

When they gathered at the island’s edge (the area closest to the island edge was usually reserved for the chief, and his family and close friends and advisors, no matter how much Hiccup tried to protest until he eventually gave in) Zephyr was passed around so they all could have ease of their hands. Almost everyone of the riders had some time carrying her (except Ruffnut and Tuffnut, because while Hiccup knew he could rely on them when he needed them, he still didn’t want to put Zephyr in unnecessary danger), cooing over her.

When it came to releasing the lanterns, Valka handed Zephyr back to Hiccup with a smile as he balanced her in one arm and held onto his lit lantern with the other.

And the sight now was becoming more familiar to him. The sight of hundreds of soft lights flying slowly into the night, while still giving the sight of something mystical and beautiful, punched through with bittersweet memories, was something he was becoming used to.

“Take a good look, little Zephyr,” Astrid murmured as she leaned next to Hiccup. “This is a sight you’ll see once every Snoggletog. When you’re old enough, you’ll understand what it means. You’ll understand why we do this every year, and you’ll understand how important it is to us.”

 _Even if you’ve never seen a dragon, even if you’ve never ridden a dragon, even if you’ve never offered your hand to a dragon and felt that first, magical spark of trust bloom between you as the dragon accepted your peace offering, you’ll know why._ The words hung unspoken in the air, but they were there. _Because everyone here should remember who we owe so much to, and who we love. Because these memories are all we have left of them now, and we should always honour our loved ones through memory._

The cold air stung bitterly. He really wasn’t sure if it was the cold air, the missing Toothless, or the idea of his daughter one day learning about old Berkian traditions and dragons that caused tears to prick at his eyes, but either of them were good contenders.

So when Astrid looped an arm around his waist, Hiccup wrapped one arm around her back and together, they watched the lights dance slowly out to sea.

_Hey, bud. Look, I’m a dad now. If only you could see._

The lights continued to drift away, and there was nothing in response.

_Hope you’re okay. I wonder if you’ve got a family of your own now. The Light Fury loves you, I’m sure._

Zephyr eventually dozed off, but they continued to stand there for a little longer, until the lights had all but disappeared.

* * *

_It all started with some rumoured reports of some oddly coloured lights. Then, it turned into seeing a small swarm of those lights, only with the idea that these lights might have been from you. Then, it turned into waiting every winter for those lights to appear. Now, five years later, there is no longer a swarm of lights._

_Instead, there is a sea of lights._

_Dancing, drifting, floating, illuminating the winter night sky. They’re lovely. When I fly among them, it feels timeless and ethereal. Caught up in the moment of beauty, no before or after, no past or future. Just me (us, it once used to be us) flying through a field of lights._

_Do you know what this reminds me of? It reminds me of some of our flights together. In which there was no worry, no thinking about what came before or what is to come, just the present beat of wings and air rushing past as we zip and soar through the skies, so caught up in the sheer joy and exhilaration of it all that there’s no room for anything else._

_This is a bit like that. But instead of wild, unrestrained joy and exhilaration, there is only soft, quiet longing and almost awe. This is somber, ethereal, mystical, something to slowly drift among and observe with an enraptured gaze instead of cartwheeling wildy through to bask in the dangerous thrill of speed._

_By this point, I’m used to flying to my own for quite a while now. The half of my tail with no feeling in it (the one you made for me so I could go after My Queen and fly on my own) operates without the need of a human companion, and I fly independently through the night air._

_I fly slowly, as I always do during this event. Throughout the years, more and more of us have come out of the Home to watch these lights every winter. Even some of the ones who dislike humans have come out to observe this phenomenon. My and my comrades try to communicate the importance of such a thing and what we believe this phenomenon to be (lanterns from the humans that we once befriended), even if we don’t completely know for sure._

_Some of them scoff at the fact that we don’t know completely who it is that's setting out these lights. Some of us bristle, but most of us understand why. I am caught in between. I understand them, but I also understand you, my friend._

_That violet lantern reminds me so much of you that it’s almost shameful to think that anyone else could have crafted something so meticulously detailed, telling our story. The violet lantern has pictures of what happened to us, bringing to life images in my head. That is more than enough to convince me, but there are a couple who question it. My Queen is one of them. But I suppose I can’t blame them._

_Your lanterns are beautiful, my friend. I want so badly to know where you are and how you’re doing right now. I want so badly to call out and show you we’re still okay._

* * *

“So? How’s the production line going?” Astrid asked. It was that time of year again, when winter fell and the holidays approached. When Zephyr ran towards her on slightly unsteady legs, she easily lifted her up.

“It’s going great,” Hiccup answered. And yes, it was doing very well. Fishlegs had suggested several improvements to be made to the production lines, and it took a little trial and error during the couple weeks they had each year to test them out and determine what would be the best route to use. “We’re thinking of implementing something similar when it comes to other crafts, to improve efficiency. Of course, the workers need to be trained and there are lots of other issues to work out, but it seems pretty hopeful.”

“Well, the whole thing has been going on strong over the last few years. I’m sure it’ll turn out great.”

It did work out very smoothly, that was for sure. It was routine now, and Hiccup could breathe a little easier when lanterns were easily handed out to all residents that wanted one.

He spent a lot of time working in the lantern workshops, too. Bending sticks and putting them together to form a lantern frame, and then folding coloured cloth over the frame was something that he previously thought was a small thing he would do only a few times during the holidays for his friends. Now he was working alongside many other residents in a construction assembly to hand out lanterns to the entire village. He was teaching them how to craft them as well as the principles behind the design of the lanterns that would allow them to float when they were released.

There were so many people involved in this tradition now. And to be honest, he didn’t really mind. What Snotlout said the year after the first releasing of the lanterns made quite a lot of sense. There were other people missing their friends, and wanted to remember them through this Snoggletog event. Valka and Gobber had talked to him several times about it, and what they shared was enough to convince him to continue this annual event and cement it as a new tradition.

This year, standing at the island’s edge, Zephyr seemed more alert than last year. She pointed at the lanterns and other people, chattering and calling out words that she was starting to familiarize herself with. The sight made Hiccup want to laugh and cry in equal measure. Their daughter was growing and changing, which meant leaving the past behind and venturing forward into an unknown future.

Leaving their past, which contained so many good memories and fun times that he enjoyed, was bittersweet. But life always had a way of moving forward without consent and forcing change even when it wasn’t wanted. And it was good, in a way. It was good to explore what the future had to offer, and to shape what came next.

And it was bad, because it meant that moments that offered them so much joy had become nothing more than memories that they were liable to forget.

But then again, that was mostly the reason why they had this tradition every winter. To remember the times that came before, and to remember the ones that once brought them so much joy, now nothing more than memories.

Astrid set Zephyr on the ground so she could light her lantern before passing the torch she used to Hiccup, and then lifted her back up with one arm, holding on to her lantern with the other.

The procedure was familiar to him now. He touched the torch to the wick in the lantern, felt the familiar heat from the newly lit flame wash over the hand holding the lantern, felt the familiar tug of the lantern frame as it tried to float away with the newly generated lift.

He passed the lantern on, and held his lantern in place as he waited for everyone to finish lighting their lanterns. This year, he decided to add a few other touches to the cloth covering of his lantern. Sketches of Toothless and a few drawings of some of their experiences together chasing after new dragons or simply flying around together now decorated the cloth covering in a mosaic, as compared to the sparser decorations he had last year. Maybe it was a little risky, but all of them were sure that there were no other inhabited islands in the direction they were planning to release the lanterns in (the direction where the Hidden World lay). And even if it was seen, hopefully it would only be seen as whimsical decoration rather than fragments of a story told through pictures.

As usual, he waited until everyone he could see had their lanterns lit, and then let go. The heat of the lantern flame faded from his skin as it floated away, leaving the air feeling especially cool against his hand.

Zephyr pointed and laughed at the sight, and Hiccup felt his mouth curve up into a smile at the sight, unbidden. Astrid’s eyes met his, and she was smiling through glassy eyes.

* * *

_We now expect those lanterns every year. The lights glide and dance throughout the sky, floating in great seas of lights._

_Every year, we fly a little ways away from Home to wait on small rocks at sea, to watch the lights drift across the night sky. They illuminate the night in a soft, steady glow. It’s in complete contrast to the flames we fire from our mouths, which illuminate in sharp, blinding bursts of light that fade away as suddenly as they come._

_That steady glow is what clues the ones here that these aren’t made by us, or by any force of nature. They’re made by humans, who tamed the elements and bent them to their will to fit their needs. We have some crystals and plants in Home that we can burn to produce a steady flame that holds and burns so it can illuminate the area steadily for a long period of time, but they aren’t quite like what these lanterns are. The lanterns are delicately and intricately crafted by human hands; the crystals and plants are roughly shaped by nature and time._

_We want to believe that it’s you, but we don’t have much confirmation besides the lanterns’ colouring and the drawings inked on the cloth covering them. For me, the drawings and colourations had been enough, but My Queen’s suspicions have convinced me to stay on guard. However, I still harbour a desperate wish for it to be you._

_But I think that this year, I have more proof that it truly is you, my friend._

_The violet lantern that is often in the lead of the sea of lights headed our way is much more decorated than the years before. This year, the paper of the lantern is a mosaic of drawings. And I recognize them. Here’s one of us flying, here’s our outpost on another island, here are several of us having our adventures with each other or with the rest of the group._

_I try to keep my wings as steady as I can, trying not to flap too much. I want to stay by this lantern for a while, not wanting to throw it off its course with winds generated from my wings._

_I have no doubt that much as changed for you, as much as changed for me. But this lantern is proof that we still have the same memories of each other, that we still remember each other fondly._

_It’s a nice feeling. And I want to hold on to it._

_And I want to reciprocate it. I want you to know we still share the same memories, and that I still remember you._

* * *

Their seventh year of this tradition wasn’t just the three of them anymore. This year was Zephyr’s third year, and Nuffink’s first year. It’s both heartwarming and painful. His and Astrid’s son, and Zephyr’s brother, will be seeing the same thing they’ve been experiencing for years on end now.

This year, Hiccup and Astrid took turns watching Zephyr and Nuffink. Their work came in shifts, with one of them watching the kids while the other went to work somewhere, usually off in the village or in the lantern assembly lines (which somehow became a large business over the years).

It was such a big contrast to their first year, which was a small, quiet, secluded event at the island’s very edge with only six lanterns to be released. But it wasn’t a bad thing.

This year, he and Astrid took turns holding Nuffink while Zephyr wandered around them, one of them occasionally picking her up to get around particularly difficult patches of snow or rugged pathway. When the lanterns were being passed around and Hiccup retrieved his trademark violet lantern inked with designs of a Night Fury, he picked up a mini lantern that was meant for Zephyr.

“Here, hold it by the frame, like this,” Astrid pointed out to Zephyr, kneeling in the snow next to her. “Now wait for one of us to light it.”

The lanterns were lit, and Zephyr seemed awed by the small source of light and heat in her hand, trying to pull away and give in to flight.

“Now let go of it, and watch it fly. Like this,” Hiccup said, and released his lantern, letting it float into the night sky.

Zephyr followed his lead with wide eyes, releasing her lantern as well and laughing when it drifted up, soaring into the sky. Nuffink seemed half asleep balanced in one of his arms, but he blearily turned his head to observe the many other lights that were beginning to rise off the island and into the night.

Astrid released her lantern as well, and she then lifted Zephyr up and balanced her in one arm as she stood. Seeing the two of them together both warmed and pricked at Hiccup’s chest, and he smiled around the sudden tightness in his throat.

And there they stood, in a quiet night with only murmurs as a sea of lights rose up around them into the sky.

“After this is done, we tell each other, ‘Happy Snoggletog’, as it’s Snoggletog and we’re celebrating it,” Hiccup explained. “Happy Snoggletog.”

“Happy Snoggletog!” Zephyr said brightly, eyes still wide open even though it was late at night.

“And Happy Snoggletog to all of you, too,” Astrid added on, smiling. But even Hiccup could see the slight glassy sheen to her eyes, and he blinked rapidly to clear his eyes of the beginnings of his own tears.

* * *

_This year is a bit different from the years before. This year, we don’t fly as far out as we have before. Some of the others that usually watch the skies with us at this time of year fly further out ahead, but me and My Queen stay closer to home._

_We stay on some rocks near the entrance of Home, as both of us are currently weighed down by something we are currently taking responsibility for, and will be taking responsibility for quite a while into the future._

_We’re tethered in place by our hatchlings._

_Our three children, who have hatched from eggs we’ve both taken long days and nights to guard and incubate._

_Tonight, we teach them about the many lights that drift across the night sky every time of year in the winter. My Queen paints the event in a cautious light, and while I understand why, I still lean towards the more positive theories I have about this event - they are lights set out every year by our longtime friends, a group of humans._

_Of course, one day, our children will have to learn about the dangers of humans and how only some humans are kind to dragons, but as of tonight, I tell them only about the friends who have helped us, and about one friend in particular who injured me, felt sorry about what he had done, and then apologized and helped me._

_They now know some things about you, my friend. Won’t you be happy to know that?_

_I wonder how you’re doing. I have a family now, one I intend to take care of for years to come and one that brings me countless amounts of joy. I wonder if you’ve found similar joy, and similar companionship. I’m sure you have, or soon will. After all, you had a mate even before I left you._

_Ah, it’s starting now! Roars from up ahead signal that the lights have begun to drift across the sky. My Queen stands up, observing. I don’t fly this year. I stay on the ground, with My Queen and our children. They are currently gazing upwards with wide eyes, making sounds of wonder. It surely is a sight. Even with all our coloured crystals and bright lights, nothing is quite like the view of so many soft, steady lights flying gently across the night sky._

_It’s a sight that we’ve been seeing for years and I’m sure will continue to see for years._

* * *

On the eighth year of the tradition, almost everyone has familiarized themselves to the routine of the new Snoggletog event. When winter came this year, everyone easily set themselves to work, building and setting out lanterns. This event was now no longer as stressful as it initially was, now that everyone knew what to expect and how to handle it.

When everyone gathered outside on that winter night to release the lanterns, Astrid held Nuffink to talk to him about the tradition while Hiccup showed Zephyr how to precisely hold and light the lantern she was holding.

“Now, like this. It’s simple. You’ve done it once before,” he said as he crouched down next to her, and released his lantern.

It really was simple. She extended her hands, holding up the lantern, before easily letting go of its frame and letting it float upwards.

Astrid’s blue lantern, decorated with a design of a Deadly Nadder, floated over their heads and into the night sky.

Somewhere off to the side, the rest of the six riders were chatting together and letting their lanterns go. Hiccup easily zeroed in on the four other lanterns rising into the night air. Even though the years had passed, their lantern designs had stayed more or less the same. A coloured lantern specific to each rider and their dragon, and decorated with designs of said dragon.

Some things still stay the same, it seemed.

But the things that have stayed the same were few. Much more has changed than has stayed the same.

But that’s why they’re doing this, right? In memory to what they should remember, to what changed, to the people that brought them happiness in the time spent together.

And of course, new people will learn about this. If this was meant to be a permanent tradition, then it was sure to be passed down from one generation to the next, just like the secret of the dragons was meant to be. Already, there were new people seeing this event and would eventually learn the full story behind it. Zephyr and Nuffink were proof of that.

This year, they gathered together at the edge of the island and watched the lights drift off into the distance together, a family.

What a horrible injustice to the world that their dragons, who they loved and who loved them, couldn’t be part of this family and be here with them.

* * *

_By now, our children have learned the basics of flight. There’s much more that they need to master, but they know the very basics of it._

_And the time of year has arrived. The time of year where we watch a sea of lights dance across the night sky. It’s something we’re all somewhat accustomed to now, but for me, watching them never gets any easier. All I can usually think of when I see them is you, you, you, and how we were separated after so many fun years together._

_But this year, I have a little more to worry about._

_This year, the hatchlings - not even hatchlings at this point, more like fledgelings - have started to gain some flight skills. They also enjoy flying, which only means more for me and My Queen to look out for._

_So, tonight, we plan to take a flight when the lights arrive and show our children what it’s like to soar through an ocean of lights in a delicate dance, in which time feels suspended in the enchanting atmosphere surrounding us._

_Well, not so delicate, now that I see what it’s like._

_The lights have arrived. Like the year before, they watch the lights with wide eyes and it’s only with my prompting that we all take to the skies together. I fly near the front to lead, My Queen takes up the rear, and the fledglings fly in the middle, all of us flying in a small unit._

_The fledglings’ flight has none of the grace and agility that I and My Queen have honed into our flight skills after so many years. Their flight is enough for them to lift off the ground and perform simple turns, but they have none of the gliding and acrobatic skills that we do. And they flap their wings faster and more roughly than we do, due to inexperience and their sheer, small size._

_So, not such a delicate dance. Their rough wingbeats generate sharp, uneven bursts of moving air that churn the wings and night air, pushing lanterns around messily._

_Well, it just means there’s room for improvement, right? It must be. Surely they’ll get better with time. A lot of time, because smooth flight is something that takes lots of practice. I know that taking to the sky again after having half my tail cut off was something that took a little adjusting (but you were there to assist me)._

_Even so, they look like they’re having fun. The three children flap and play among the lights, laughing and chasing each other._

_Do you have this much fun during this event, my friend? I hope you do. I hope that no amount of sadness and missing each other will dull your happiness._

* * *

Year nine of the new Snoggletog tradition was upon them. It could barely be called new anymore, with how much time had passed since the first event and this event, but it was still pretty new compared to lots of other traditions they had at this time of year.

In the evenings leading up to the big lantern release, he and Astrid gathered their kids in their house living room to tell stories of dragons. Both of them would listen, wide-eyed (Zephyr slightly more alert than Nuffink) about stories of a Night Fury shot out of the sky and then freed and healed from a severe injury to his tailfin, stories of six dragon riders chasing a fleet of viking warships to fight the Red Death, of a peace between dragons and humans after so many long years of war, of the six riders that flew out over the archipelago to discover new islands and new dragons. They would listen to stories of their old home, the old Berk, of all sorts of dragons and stories of how they were chased from Berk by dragons hunters, and finally, of how humans and dragons separated and how the dragons left for the Hidden World.

Reliving these stories was bittersweet, in a word. Nostalgic too, maybe. He could still recall the wind rushing past him and the wild thrill of fast movement high up in the sky, held up by nothing but the dragon ferrying him. He could still recall the world twisting and flying around him as they rode into battle, arrows and explosives flying from both sides, and the nightmares that sometimes followed in the nights after long fights. He could still recall the deep ache of exhaustion in every muscle of his body at long nights and days of planning and tactics, struggling to win a war that could change the future of dragonkind. He could still recall the sunlight and moonlight falling around him as they flew in day and night alike, and the wary excitement of coming upon a new island or new dragon. And as always, he could still recall the demanding presence of the Night Fury that was always at his side, dark, powerful, and dangerous at some times, playful, friendly, and light at other times.

Pulling out of the retellings of those old tales was like returning to the present from a long throwback to old times, and the stark contrast between those two visions were so different. There were no dragons flying them from island to island, freeing or studying other dragons. There was instead, the responsibility of an entire island and a new family tethering him to his place in New Berk, and memories in place of the dragons they befriended. There were no dragon riders fighting to defend dragonkind from hunters, led by six pioneers of dragon riding. There was instead, vikings who fought to protect the secret of the dragons and advisors to the chief of Berk, the former Night Fury rider.

And when Snoggletog arrived again this year, they made their way down the familiar path down near the cliffs. As always, the village pathways were decorated with bright little ornaments and artificial leaves. But as the years passed from the first few floating lantern releases, people had started decorating the village with more and more lanterns. Not the ones designed to be light so they could float, but ones with thin coloured cloth covering the flame to produce coloured light. The result was a rainbow of lights bathing the village in a festive glow.

And in the area near the cliff, which was a little ways away from the village, there were poles strung with clusters of lanterns erected to provide light. The area was darker than the rest of the village, to provide ample conditions to see the lanterns’ illumination, but it was nowhere near as blindingly dark in the first year of the tradition, where there had only been six riders releasing floating lanterns.

“There you are!” Fishlegs called, waving them over.

“Hey. We’re here. Happy Snoggleog,” Hiccup said as Nuffink ran to greet Fishlegs, Zephyr trailing a little behind him.

“Happy Snoggletog to you too,” he replied. “What do you think of the lantern production this year?”

They were then pulled into a long discussion about their new assembly line techniques and lantern designs, until Astrid returned to them, guiding Zephyr and Nuffink, after chatting with Snotlout and the twins to say, “Hey, you two. The lanterns are being passed around now. You can talk about your production lines and whatever after this whole thing is finished. Think the kids are getting bored, too.”

“Alright. See you later, Fishlegs. And I have a few other design ideas that I was hoping you could look over. I think these might even be able to generate enough lift to ferry objects across the water, so we might be able to send gifts to the dragons,” Hiccup said.

“That’s great. I look forward to it,” came the reply.

“So are there really lanterns that will allow us to send gifts to the dragons?” Astrid asked.

“Hopefully. It really might work,” he answered as he crouched down, holding out two smaller lanterns to Zephyr and Nuffink.

“And now, you remember the story of why humans and dragons can’t live together?” Hiccup asked, turning to the pair of them.

“Yeah. Because there will always be bad people who want to kill dragons, and we need to keep their secret safe.”

“That’s right. But we also want to remember our friends, because we love them. So, every year, we release floating lanterns out at night, during Snoggletog. It’s a sign that they’ll hopefully be able to see and know that we’re still okay. And we do this during the holidays, because we also used to celebrate Snoggletog with the dragons, until they left.”

“And, the holiday season is also at the end of the year. New Year’s isn’t far off from Snoggletog. We didn’t think of this when we first started this tradition, but I think it’s fitting that near the end of each year, we set out those lanterns to mark another year gone by without our friends, and to mark another year of us missing each other,” Astrid added, holding up her blue lantern.

“Right.” And honestly, Hiccup didn’t think of that either. He mostly agreed to Astrid’s idea at the time because he thought that there was something cool about floating lights in the dead of winter. But really, it was a good touch. “It was your mom’s idea for this event, did you know?” he asked, turning to the kids.

“Wow! Really?”

And on it went, with both of them pestering Astrid for details until torches were passed around to light their lanterns. After helping Nuffink and Zephyr light theirs, Hiccup deftly lit the wick of his lantern before passing the torch to Astrid, a routine now made familiar from the past years.

The pressure at the back of his throat caused by missing his best friend was mixed in with the sheer happiness for the family that they had here.

* * *

_Our children are as eager for this year as they were for the last. My Queen still has a few misgivings, but overall, she also believes that these lights are harmless. We haven’t been able to detect anything harmful on those lanterns, and we’ve been flying among them for years now._

_Many dragons over the years have come to expect these lanterns. The ones that had friends among the humans look forward to it, hoping that those lights appear every winter because that’s how they know that their human friends are still okay._

_(Well, that’s what we believe. We still have no confirmation that these lights really are from our human friends, even though the circumstantial evidence points at these lights being sent out by you.)_

_If I really knew who exactly sent these, if I find out that it really is you that’s sending these lights out to us, I will send a response back._

_After all, we are friends. After all, you sent us all these lights to play among. It’s practically an invitation to dance._

* * *

In the tenth year since the dragons left, practically all of Berk gathered outside. Hiccup and his family, as well as close relatives and friends, had the position near the cliff for a better view of the lanterns as they drifted away.

It had started off as a tiny event between friends. He didn’t intend it to become a new holiday tradition. But it was what it was, and it really wasn’t a bad holiday tradition.

However, there was something new this year. Unlike the previous years, many of the residents planning to release their lanterns had gifts with them, ranging from anything from decorated cloth to fish. The ones who did have gifts were people who had once been dragon riders, which was by now, a large part of the population.

Hiccup himself had a plate carrying a fish he knew Toothless particularly liked, and Astrid was carrying a plate of chicken. Zephyr and Nuffink had nothing to give to the dragons, but they had assured them that they’d find something for next year.

The new lantern designs had been finalized and tested that year, to great success. With Hiccup’s ideas and Fishlegs’s input, they had managed to design floating lanterns able to carry items as they drifted out to sea.

With enough work, this might be able to carry on, so that they would be able to send gifts to the dragons over the years to come. It had been pointed out that they didn’t even know if their lanterns were reaching the dragons and this might all end up being for nothing, but Hiccup refuted it by saying that they knew nothing for sure and it wasn’t a bad thing to do.

And so, this year, gifts and food were tied on to the bottom of the lantern frames before the lanterns themselves were lit. Around him, he could see that many of the riders around him were attaching their gifts to the dragons to their latners.

Hiccup tied on the fish to the bottom of his lantern with rope, and waited for one of the torches being passed around to reach him. He had to be extra careful lighting the lantern this year because he didn’t want to burn his gift.

_Happy Snoggletog, everyone. Happy Snoggletog, Toothless._

Even with the added weight on the lanterns, they still floated up almost weightlessly, lighting up the night in a sea of warm light.

“Happy Snoggletog”s were called out brightly as the lights began to float out to sea.

* * *

_The approaching lights smell slightly off. Usually, they smell like burning wood and oil due to the flame keeping it lit, but this year, there are some other scents mixed in. It’s true smell is masked with the lanterns’ scent. I fly up to investigate. My Queen isn’t far behind, and our fledgelings trail behind her._

_As I pierce the cloud of floating lights, flying into the sea of lanterns, I then can tell what’s causing the scent. On the bottom of many of those lanterns, there are little objects secured. Anything from food to dried flowers to cloth, there are what seem to be gifts tied on to the lanterns._

_All around me, others seem to be making a similar discovery. I can tell by the excited calls that echo around me._

_But I’m quiet tonight._

_Every year, there’s one lantern I always search for. I scan the field of floating lights for that one, almost desperately._

_When I see it, it feels like coming home._

_The violet lantern decorated with images of the two of us is still there. And underneath the lantern, fish dangles from a rope._

_I recognize it. It’s one of the ones I like, the one you sometimes went out of your way to procure for me._

_When I scent the meal and detect no poison, I quickly swallow it down. The familiar tang and the knowledge that someone specifically sent this out on a floating lantern to me feels like metal stabbing into my heart. How unjust for us to be separated simply because it wasn’t safe for us to be together. How heartwarming that you still think of me, and that you send these lanterns to us every year, and now gifts._

_I know for sure now that it’s you. Who else would do such a thing for us?_

_Perhaps, we can finally answer your call now. When I float back to the ground, My Queen peers at me and I know that she can tell what I’m thinking. I know that she wants to dissuade me. I’ll have to convince her about my idea._

_But I know that you’re still out there._

_And I want to let you know that we’re okay._

* * *

New Year’s was usually a rowdy occasion. Only several days from Snoggletog, it was an event where people stayed up late to celebrate. People gathered outside, toasting to the new year with drinks in hand. It wasn’t that different from Snoggletog in appearance, but there was an entirely new atmosphere to it, loud and boisterous instead of a softer, slower celebration.

Hiccup usually wandered the town at this time of year, chatting with friends and other residents. It’s a time for celebration, after all.

When he managed to get a quiet period of time, he gathered with Astrid and the rest of the dragon riders in a quieter spot on the island, which happened to be the cliff where they had been releasing lanterns less than a week ago. It was dimly lit, only by a few torches stuck in the ground. Zephyr and Nuffink ran around them, chasing each other.

“Happy new year, all,” he called.

“Happy new year!” was chorused back. Everyone still seemed pretty awake, even though it was late at light.

It was a nice night. The air was still and snow fell softly around them. The loud singing and cheering from the village was muted, due to the distance between the village and the cliff. Around them were only murmurs as people chatted with each other, and Hiccup paused to separate from where the others were gathered to gaze out over the cliff and see into dark water.

Then, something caught his eye. It looked like a flash of light, somewhere out near the dark horizon.

“Hey. Did you see that?” he called.

“What?”

“Like a flash of light. Out there.”

There was the noise of crunching snow as they gathered around him near the cliffside, squinting out into the darkness for any sign of what Hiccup had mentioned.

Then, the light flared again, and Hiccup said, “Right there,” but there was no need. Everyone had seen it.

“What is that?” Astrid murmured.

“It looked a bit like fire,” Fishlegs said.

Fire. Coming from the direction of the Hidden World.

Could it really be…?

Then, the light flared again, much brighter than before and rocketing up into the air, a towering spiral of light and flame.

“That is fire!”

As the first flash of flame died down, another bloomed beside it. And another, and another, until the water was lit brightly by beams of fire shooting up into the air from various sources, each one slightly different from the other. Some were low burning, low oranges and red, and others were so bright they were almost white. There was a hint of green gas, and then it ignited in an explosion.

“That’s not just ordinary fire. That’s dragon fire,” Snotlout said, vocalising what Hiccup knew they were all thinking.

If the floating lanterns was a stately waltz to slow music, then this light show was a fast-paced dance, whipping around and punching out at the air to quick music and drum beats. Coloured flame of all sorts of shapes and sizes and brightness bloomed and rose high into the sky from a source out at sea, painting the night with what every former dragon rider recognized as dragon fire.

By now, many others had gathered around them at the cliffside, cheering and yelling at the sight. But Hiccup was silent, eyes fixed on the lights out at sea.

_Please. Please._

He then let out a wild cheer when a violet pulse rocketed into the sky, exploding in a shockwave of flame, a sight he knew very well belonged to the fire blasts of a Night Fury.

_There you are, bud._

“Fireworks! Boom!” someone yelled, probably Ruffnut.

Tuffnut then careened into Hiccup’s side, yelling, “Look at the spectacle! This is proof that fireworks are the way to go! Imagine if we did such a thing every New Year’s!”

“Eh,” Hiccup only said in response, too stunned by the sight in front of them to say much more.

Well, fireworks every New Year’s wasn’t such a bad idea. He didn’t know if the dragons would be putting on a light show for them every year from now on, but it didn’t look that bad.

Another Night Fury plasma blast went off in the night sky, and his attention was pulled back to the dragon fire out at sea.

The dragons were okay. They were still out there.

Years of long, bittersweet nights of remembrance and floating lanterns now seemed more than worth it at the response of light they were now seeing from the dragons. Toothless was still out there, and judging by what Hiccup was currently seeing, he still remembered him and still cared about him.

They were still together, even if from afar.

Astrid ran up to him, Nuffink and Zephyr following her, and she was laughing.

“They’re still there! They’re okay!” she said, practically yelling to be heard over the distant sound of dragon fire-caused explosions.

“They are. They are,” Hiccup said, and his throat felt thick with tears. He didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry. He hadn't made these lanterns to be answered, but they had been answered anyway.

So instead, he simply watched the friends that were separated from them fire off lights into the sky on New Year’s day, surrounded by the allies and friends he had made.

_You're still out there. You're still out there. You still remember us._

And off in the distance, light danced across the night sky.

* * *

_It took quite a little convincing. But over the course of several days, I managed to get most of the dragons in agreement. And here we are now._

_We’re all gathered on rocks out at sea, firing into the sky. We’re putting out our own lights, in response to yours._

_We’re responding to your lanterns._

_It’s our own sort of dance. It’s different from yours, rough, powerful, loud, explosive, and blindingly bright instead of elegant, soft, quiet, steady, and warm. But I like to think it’s just as beautiful as yours._

_My Queen has reluctantly agreed, and our friends that followed us in our adventures were the quickest of all to agree._

_And so here we are. All of us are firing into the sky, and I myself have fired off quite a few fire blasts._

_If you didn’t know if we were still there, you do know._

_And even if you don’t know the whole truth, we do._

_We have always been there. We have always remembered. We’re only just showing it now._

_We still miss you. And we know that one day, we may be together again, even if it’s not today. But for now, we simply respond to your lanterns, with our fire that dances and twirls high in the sky for you to see._

_Because we’re still together, even if from afar._

**Author's Note:**

> After that particular celebration, the twins manage to convince Hiccup to create coloured explosives to be launched into the sky at New Year's with enough pestering. The new invention is called "fireworks" and they sometimes release it at times of celebration.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
